Aspirating balloon catheter for treating vulnerable plaque

Abstract

Devices and methods for extracting core material contained in plaque deposits inside a blood vessel are presented. A device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a catheter having an elongate shaft, a collection array of a plurality of collection lumens disposed about the distal portion of the elongate shaft, a means for radially extending and / or collapsing the collection array, and a suction means for extracting material from the lumen of the blood vessel. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of inserting the distal portion of the catheter into a lumen of the blood vessel, positioning the distal end of the collection array proximate plaque deposits, extending the collection array to rupture the plaque deposits and urging core material therefrom, and extracting the material using a suction means fluidly coupled to the proximal end of the collection array.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to intravascular catheters. More particularly, the present invention relates to intravascular catheters adapted to remove vulnerable plaque.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in industrialized countries. An atherosclerotic plaque is a thickening in the wall of the artery. Typically, patients who die of coronary disease may have several atherosclerotic plaques; however, in most instances of myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, or stroke, it is found that only one of these potential obstructions had, in fact, ruptured, fissured, or ulcerated. The rupture, fissure, or ulcer typically causes a large thrombus to form on the inside of the artery, which may completely occlude the flow of blood through the artery, thereby injuring the heart and / or the brain.[0003]Plaque, a thickening in the arterial vessel wall results from the accumulation of cholesterol, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]A method in accordance with one embodiment may include the steps of inserting the distal end of the catheter of the present invention into a lumen of the blood vessel, positioning the collection ports proximate one or more plaque deposits, extending the collection array to engage the inner wall of the blood vessel and/or the one or more plaque deposits, rupturi

Problems solved by technology

Typically, patients who die of coronary disease may have several atherosclerotic plaques; however, in most instances of myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, or stroke, it is found that only one of these potential obstructions had, in fact, ruptured, fissured, or ulcerated.

The rupture, fissure, or ulcer typically causes a large thrombus to form on the inside of the artery, which may completely occlude the flow of blood through the artery, thereby injuring the heart and / or the brain.

It has recently been appreciated that vulnerable plaques that do not limit flow may be particularly dangerous because they produce no warning symptoms, and can suddenly rupture causing heart attack, stroke, and / or death by forming a blood clot inside the blood vessel lumen and causing a blockage, for example.

Images